The 7.62mm Type 56 light machine gun is a Chinese copy of the Soviet RPD. Serving with the PLA as the standard squad automatic weapon since the mid-1950s, the Type 56 has been produced in massive numbers and is also in service with many third-world countries. The weapon is generally regarded as rigid and reliable, still functional in 'dirty' combat field environment. The Type 56-I is the improved variant with some minor modifications. Today, the weapon has been replaced by the 7.62mm Type 81 and 5.8mm QBB95.
The Type 56 is an air-cooled, gas-operated, weapon, firing 7.62 mm machine gun rounds only in automatic (burst) mode. The machine gun is fed from left-hand side from either segmented metal belt (50 rounds each segment) or a cartridge drum that holds 100 rounds. The weapon is equipped with a non-removable barrel with a 3-position gas adjustment valve, a folding bipod, wooden shoulder stock and foregrip, pistol grip and open-type, mechanically adjustable iron sights.
Specifications
Length: 1,037mm Barrel Length: 520mm Bore Diameter: 7.62mm Weight: 7.9kg Muzzle Velocity: 735m/s
Maximum Effective Range: 800m Best Effective Range: 540m Rate of Fire: Maximum 650rds/min; Sustained 150 rds/min Rounds: Type 56, 7.62 X 39mm
